It is known in the art relating to turbocharged internal combustion engines and the like to provide an aftercooler for cooling the intake charges delivered to the engine from the turbo-compressor. The aftercooler is a heat exchanger which transfers heat from the compressed induction air or air-fuel mixture to a second fluid such as ambient air or the engine coolant.
The compressor outlet is usually of compact cross section and generally is of circular or nearly circular cross-sectional shape. The charge cooler generally takes the form of a radiator core, in the case of an air-to-air heat exchanger, or a cooler core in a housing, in the case of an air-to-water heat exchanger. In either case, the charge cooler inlet is usually oblong, generally rectangular, with a much larger cross-sectional area than that of the compressor outlet to which it is connected.
While many arrangements are possible, it may be advantageous in an in-line engine with a cross-flow cylinder head (intake and exhaust ports on opposite sides of the head) to mount the engine turbocharger on the exhaust side of the engine and connect the output of the compressor through ducting with a distantly mounted aftercooler. Such may be located, for example, on the inlet side of the engine nearby or integrated with the intake manifold for engine water cooling, or at the front end of a vehicle engine compartment, preferably ahead of or adjacent to the radiator, for ambient air cooling.
In such cases, there is required a connecting duct leading from the compressor outlet with its compact (circular, square or the like) outlet area to the charge cooler inlet which usually comprises a large header of rectangular or other oblong shape. An outlet connection from the charge cooler to the intake manifold is also requires in the case of a front mounted charge cooler.